Sneaking Kisses
by Ponytales
Summary: Summery: Becker is recovering from his Therocephalian bite at home and he's not a very patient patient.   Spoilers for series 4.


Title: Sneaking Kisses

Author: Darkhorse_99

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Jess/Becker

Spoilers: Set directly after episode 4.4

This is for the Jess/Becker Secret Santa for Ruby Caspar! I hope you like it.

Summery: Becker is recovering from his Therocephalian bite at home and he's not a very patient patient.

Beta'd by the brilliant Fredbassett. All remaining mistakes are my own.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Captain Becker was just starting his fourth day of house arrest, excuse me, medical leave and he was climbing the walls with boredom. He irritably tossed down the television remote and picked up the phone, already knowing that the ringer wasn't broken, so he hadn't missed any calls. No new texts either. He made a disgruntled sound at the world in general and thought about struggling down to the corner shop to get a movie or a book.

That would mean struggling down the street with a cane and having to stop halfway to rest on the bench for the bus. Stopping to rest. He shook his head in annoyance. His leg was aching badly enough that the actual logistics of leaving the house stopped him.

He was currently lying on his couch, in his pajama bottoms, with his laptop on the coffee table directly in front of him. None of his friends had updated their Facebook. He had taken about as much of the lolzcats and the Daily Poke and as he could handle. The news was just depressing. Before he could think better of it, he picked up his phone again and dialed Jess.

She answered on the second ring.

"Yes?" He tried to ignore the smugness in her tone as she continued in that charming little voice, "I knew you wouldn't make it a full day before you rang."

"Yes, yes, you were right. I'm a terrible patient. Jess, I'm going insane. I need something to do so badly, it's not funny. Can't you email me some reports or something? Bring me some guns I can clean?" He was whining and he knew it and didn't care. Even when he'd been in training there was always something to _do_.

"Lester said you weren't to have any work while you were on sick leave."

Jess told him without any sympathy. Just like she had yesterday when he'd called to bug her. "Don't you have guns of your own you can clean?"

"My guns are already clean." He managed an affronted tone to disguise the fact that that was what he'd done the first day he'd been housebound. Now he was out of gun oil and he wasn't to ask them to bring him more. He had a sneaking suspicion that Lester had had pointed words with all of them about making sure he rested, evn though he was now bored to tears.

"How about this," Jess said in a conciliatory tone. "How about I bring over some takeaway and a movie tonight?"

"Okay," Becker agreed instantly. "Just not a chick flick. Something that's actually interesting."

"Oh, I have just the thing in mind." Jess's voice had gone all sing-song, like when she thought she had maneuvered him just where she wanted him. He smiled at the tone. Little did she know, he was a champion escape artist.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o

As soon as Jess knocked on the door, Becker jumped up, winced because that was still a little too fast for his wounded leg, and threw the door open. He was so grateful for someone to talk to and something to do that he just didn't care if he looked slightly mad and his hair was all mussed.

Jess bustled in past him with her arms full of bags that smelled lovely. She set their dinner down on the coffee table. Becker saw her grin when she saw the accumulated flotsam and jetsam from him all but living on his couch for the past four days.

"Let's clear this off a bit, shall we?" Jess asked rhetorically even as she reached for the crumpled popcorn bags, the sweet wrappers and the empty drinks cans. Becker felt a brief blush of shame that he hadn't tidied up before she arrived. He helped her pick things up, trying to get most of it before she could.

Soon they were settled in with cartons of Chinese food spread out in front of them. Jess pulled the film out of her handbag and flourished it in front of him. "Ta da! Princess Bride."

"What?" Becker exclaimed when he saw the picture on the front. "I thought I said no chick flicks?"

She ignored him and put it in the DVD player. "Are you kidding? This has everything. Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles."

Becker expressed his complete disbelief, but he resigned himself to watching it anyway. "Are there any explosions?" he asked doubtfully as she joined him on the couch.

"Yes," Jess replied confidently, then she wavered, her innately honest nature taking over. "At least, I think so. I haven't seen this in a few years." Becker snorted and she shoved at his side, lightly. "Oh stop it! Give it a chance. I think you'll like it."

Somehow, when the film started Jess was sitting next to him instead of on the other end of the couch.

Somehow, by the time the Buttercup was kidnapped, she was leaning against him.

Somehow by the time the Dread Pirate Roberts pulled the blind fold off Buttercup, she was snuggled firmly against his side and he had thrown an arm around her shoulder, holding her close.

By the time the end credits rolled, Jess was cuddled against him and she had fallen asleep. Becker looked down at her. She looked even younger than she actually was. She looked so peaceful. It wasn't appropriate but he brushed the hair away from her face anyway. She murmured sleepily and curled into his side even more. He jostled her gently. "Jess, it's late. You have to wake up."

She grumbled and didn't open her eyes. On impulse, he leaned down just enough to drop a kiss on her forehead. In that same moment, she tilted her head up and opened her eyes.

It was just a quick, accidental, brushing of lips but it was enough. He pulled back and went to apologize, but she leaned up and kissed him back.

Becker hesitated for just an instant. 'Fuck it,' he thought as she pressed him back into the cushions.

He let her take control of the kiss, and she was taking control, just as surely as she ran the detector and coordinated the teams. He kissed her back just as fervently, and ran his hands over her back and sides, needing to touch her. He tugged her up into his lap and she shifted around so that she was straddling him.

Finally when they pulled apart to breath, Jess was flushed and dewy eyed. He had the sneaking suspicion that he looked the same. She blinked a few times.

"Well."

He echoed her. "Well?"

"I'm not sure where to go from here," Jess confessed. His eyes bugged out and she had to have read the surprise on his face. "Not that!" she said quickly, "I just mean, us. With work and all. This is a really bad idea, isn't it?" Even as she said that she was leaning into him.

He held her with his arms resting loosely on her hips and tried to ignore how very nicely she fitted right there. "Probably. But we're both adults. We can manage to be adults about this."

She leaned in a little, until their faces were almost touching. "Can we now?"

"We can." He ran his fingers through her surprisingly long hair and kissed her again. "In fact, I think you should bring over another film tomorrow." Becker nibbled along her slender neck and listened to her moan. "I really think we should do this again."

"Oh yes," she agreed even as she ran her hands up over his chest and across his broad shoulders. "We should make this a regular thing."

When she finally left it was much later, and her hair was very mussed. He didn't want her to go, but he eventually agreed that they shouldn't rush things.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The next evening he heard her knock twice and then let herself in through the unlocked door. He cursed and tried to hurry up before she saw him, but to no avail.

"Hello?" Jess called out quietly.

"Back here. No, don't come in!" Becker shouting hastily, then he dropped the bandage in his hand and watched it roll under the dresser. "Oh fuck."

Jess walked down the short hallway to his bedroom without going in. She stayed in the doorway and kept her eyes firmly fixed on the ceiling. "What are you cursing about?"

"It's this damned dressing. I'll sort it in a second." He looked at the roll that was currently out of sight and made a quick command decision. Becker flipped the duvet up so his lower half was covered up. "Okay, you can look now."

She raised an eyebrow at the sight of him under his duvet and commented on his T-shirt. "Rolling Stones?"

"Hell yes. Can you get that roll of bandage for me?" He pointed to where it had disappeared across the room. "I dropped it and didn't want to go hobbling around in my boxers."

"Sure." She bent down and retrieved it quickly. "Need any help?"

"No, no. I've got it," Becker said, still feeling very uncharacteristically shy. If only that bite wasn't so very high on his hip... or they were further along in their budding romance... he put the brakes on those thought firmly and desperately tried to get his mind off the idea of her hands. "What's the film for tonight?"

"Coraline."

He made a face. "The cartoon?"

"Oh stop it! It's brilliant and you'll like it. You're just lucky I didn't bring 'Land Before Time' like Connor suggested."

Completely ignoring the fact he was half-naked and hiding under a duvet, in his most suspicious tone he inquired, "What's that one about?"

"A movie about dinosaurs," Jess said sweetly with the faintest flush to her cheeks, before leaving him alone to finish dealing with his leg.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

That was the start of their friendship rolling firmly on to the next level. By the time his sick leave was up, they had spent every evening together. The intimacy built quickly. Jess got used to him reaching out and pulling her close when she was bustling around him, or watching her every move when she brewed them both a cup of tea, or idly running his fingers through her hair.

It wasn't all one-sided. She delighted in being about to snuggle into him when they watched television, or hug him, or kiss him until her toes curled with passion.

Still, it was her that brought up the 'D' word. Dating. It was the evening before he was allowed back to work on desk duty.

"So..." Jess tilted his head back and looked up at him from what had become her customary place lying against him. He seemed to enjoy holding her snug against him and did so at every opportunity.

He merely tightened his arms around her waist and echoed her. "So?"

"So... what are we going to do when we return to work?"

He didn't seem concerned. "Same thing we did before. I'll bring you chocolate and you'll blush like a teenager-"

"I do not blush like a teenager!" Jess protested hotly.

He smirked at her. "Oh yes, you blush like a girl with her first crush."

"Oh you!" Jess grumbled, but she'd learned he had quite a playful side. He'd worked out she was ticklish in record time.

Becker seemed to take pity on her, "We'll act the same as we always do. With the exception that if we get caught acting unprofessional Lester will lecture you and shout at me." He smirked. "I don't think he could fire me for it."

"I think he'd shout at both of us, actually." Jess started worrying her lower lip with her teeth as she really thought about people knowing about them.

"We'll just be sure not to make out in front of the detector. We're both adults, we're both capable of being discreet. In fact, I bet we can go at least a week before you give it away-"

"I give it away? If anyone gives it away it'll be you!" Outraged, she tried to defend herself. "A wager then, if you give it away then you take me to dinner anywhere I like."

He seemed to consider this. "All right, and if I win?"

"What would you want?" Jess asked, then flushed as she realized how that sounded.

He laughed at her expression. "You're going to give us away. I know it. I'll really have to consider what I would want as a prize, since I'm going to win and I already have you."

Becker leaned down and kissed her protests away.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The next day at work Jess was already at her station when he strode in, carefully. He wasn't using a cane to get around anymore but he was careful how he leaned on his wounded leg. Until the caustic bite wound healed completely and he passed a fitness test, he wouldn't be going in the field.

Becker merely nodded to her as he went towards Lester's office. Jess was so busy catching up on her weekend backlog that she didn't even see him leaving the hub.

That set the tone for their work interactions. A quick nod here, a quick glance there and Jess was almost disappointed that no one realized anything had changed. He still brought her a cup of tea in the afternoons. Despite her best efforts, she still blushed like a girly girl sometimes. If it weren't for the fact that they spent every evening at her house or his house, she could almost believe that she had dreamed the preceding week.

And if he let his fingers linger just an instant too long when he was passing her the tea, no one but her would notice that anyway.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Four weeks. Jess was almost ready to grind her teeth. For four weeks they had been nearly inseparable outside work and still no one had even guessed. No one was even shooting her speculative looks! This was getting ridiculous. Jess was getting a fed up with her obtuse colleagues. She wanted to be able to eat lunch with her boyfriend, or give him a quick kiss when he came back from an anomaly like Abby could do with Connor without anyone blinking twice about it.

It was odd, but she was getting jealous of not having an 'out' relationship, if it wasn't for that stupid wager that she was too competitive to lose then she could run her fingers through his hair whenever she like. Well. Within reason.

Not while Lester was around, certainly.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Saturday night found the entire ARC team, sans Lester, at the pub celebrating a successful anomaly. Becker was over in the corner with some of his men playing darts and keeping half an eye on a petite brunette head that was currently introducing Emily to the joys of Pina Colatas, or some other fruity, girly, exceedingly pink drink.

Jess tossed her head back and laughed at something Abby said, and he was nearly distracted enough to miss his throw. The guys pretended not to notice. But Abby wasn't nearly as motivated as they were to stay on his good side. She flashed him a brilliant, cat-that-got-the-canary grin. She instantly turned to Jess and seemed to be trying to talk her into something, with many head jerks towards the dance floor.

Becker thanked his lucky stars that Jess wasn't drunk enough to do whatever it was Abby wanted. Probably dance with him. If she did then the jig would be up the instant they touched, he wasn't capable of pretending that he didn't know exactly how well she fitted in his arms.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Things finally came to a head a few days later. For once, they were alone in the locker room and Jess decided to tempt fate by standing close enough he could smell her perfume. One kiss wouldn't hurt. Or two. They were so involved in kiss three or four that they didn't hear the door open.

In fact, they didn't notice they weren't alone until Abby loudly cleared her throat. They both jumped slightly. It was always embarrassing to get caught making out. Especially with Jess's back up against the lockers and Becker's hands very possessively on her waist, fingers tucked into her skirt and brushing her skin.

Abby deduced that this wasn't their first kiss. She was grinning like a loon and looked insufferably proud of herself for catching them. She started in immediately.

"So after three days you're sneaking kisses, Becker, I expected you to work slower than that." Abby teased her friends gleefully.

Becker's back was slightly towards Abby, and she couldn't see the impish look on Jess's face. Becker cocked his eyebrow at her and she knew him well enough to know what he was asking. She nodded her head, a tiny movement than in all likelihood Abby didn't notice.

He finally turned to face Abby, with one arm still slung casually around Jess's waist. She leaned into him slightly, totally at ease.

"I knew that night out last Saturday would finally get the ball rolling!" Abby fairly crowed at the couple that strangely wasn't blushing. "That's what? Three days? I expected it to take at least a few weeks before we caught you snogging at the office!"

"It wasn't three days, actually," Jess finally said from her place leaning up against Becker.

Abby goggled at her in amazement. "When did this start exactly? Monday? Two days then?"

"Um. No." Becker thought about drawing it out to tease her, and then he decided that he couldn't be arsed. They had dinner reservations to get to. "Jess darling, how long would you say it's been since we started seeing each other?"

She made a show of pretending to think. "It's Tuesday, isn't it?"

Abby answered her, "Yes. That'd be about seventy two hours then?"

Jess nodded in cheerful agreement, "Yeah, seventy two hours... plus about a month. Give or take a few days."

Abby's eyes bugged out briefly, "You're joking!" she exclaimed. "We would have noticed!"

Becker snorted with mirth. "No you didn't."

Then he bent down and kissed Jess again just for good measure.

THE END


End file.
